Sheet aligning device

ABSTRACT

A device for aligning sheets having straight edges is provided which includes a structural frame member adapted to receive the sheet. A plurality of biasing means are provided along each edge of the frame which are yieldable to the pressure of the sheet but will straighten and center the sheet when the sheet is unrestrained and free to move in the frame.

United States Patent Miller et al.

[ Mar. 14, 1972 [54] SHEET ALIGNING DEVICE [72] Inventors: Donald J. Miller, Lakewood; Raymond J.

Schmidlin, Lyndhurst, both of Ohio [73] Assignee: Addressograph Multigraph Corporation,

Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: May 18, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 38,027

[52] US. Cl ..27 1/59 [51] Int. Cl ..B65h 9/04 [58] Field of Search ..27l/49, 59

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,938,723 5/ 1960 Paulson ..271/49 2,860,875 11/1958 Staeger et al 271/36 UX 1,627,015 5/1927 Davidson.... 2,669,454 2/1954 Babicz Primary Examiner-Joseph Wegbreit AttorneyRussell L. Root and Ray S. Pyle [57] ABSTRACT A device for aligning sheets having straight edges is provided which includes a structural frame member adapted to receive the sheet. A plurality of biasing means are provided along each edge of the frame which are yieldable to the pressure of the sheet but will straighten and center the sheet when the sheet is unrestrained and free to move in the frame.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented March 14, 1972 I 3,649,005

DOIWJLD J. M/LLER 2a 24 I 7" RAYMOND u. sow/04w JNI/E TEES A T'TUE'AEY SHEET ALIGNING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention will be described as it is utilized in a copy.

duplicating machine to align an exposed and converted master for insertion into the printing head, for which use it has been specifically designed. It is to be understood, however, that the device of the present invention is capable of uses with other machines and for other applications wherein alignment of a sheet is required.

In copy-duplicating machines, a master is exposed to an image, the image is then converted to a lithographic printing master, and the printing master is then conveyed to a printing head which receives the converted master and utilizes the master for printing onto suitable paper. In this sequence of operations, it is necessary that the converted master be inserted squarely onto the master cylinder of the printing head and properly centered thereon so that the printed material will be properly centered and aligned on the sheets on which printing is effected. However, when the converted master is delivered from the processing in its converted form to the printing head, it is not always delivered in a properly aligned and centered position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an alignment device is provided which will align and preferably center a sheet of material, which sheet has certain predetermined dimensions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective exploded view of a sheet aligning and centering device according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device in FIG. 1 showing its relationship in the sequences of operation of a copy duplicator machine;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along plane designated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of one edge portion of the device of FIG. 3 on an enlarged scale therefrom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, a sheet aligning and centering device includes an upper frame member designated generally as 10, a lower frame member designated generally as 12, and a pair of side rails 14 and 16. The upper frame member 10 includes a plurality of transversely extending support ribs 18 which have secured thereto longitudinally extending guide bars 20 and 22. The two outermost guide bars 20 are made of flat rectangular bar stock, while the central or inner guide bars 22, are made of round stock. The guide bars 20 and 22 of the upper frame member I'extend the entire length thereof and at one end are turned up as shown at 20a and 22a.

The lower frame member 12 also includes a plurality of transversely extending support ribs 24, similar to the support ribs 18 of the upper frame member 10, and a plurality of lon gitudinally extending guide bars. The guide bars are each formed in two segments. The outer two guide bars are flat bar stock each having segments 26 and 27 and the central or inner guide bars are each made of round bar stock, and each have segments 28 and 29. One of the segments 26 of each outer guide bar is turned down as shown at 26a and one of each of the segments 28 of the central guide bars is turned down at 28a. These turned down ends in conjunction with the turned up ends 20a and 22a of the upper guide bars 20 and 22 form a bell mouth opening as shown in FIG. 2. The upper and lower frame members and I2 and side rails 14 and ,16 are all joined together by means of nuts and bolts 23 passing through support ribs 18 and 24 and side rails I4 and 16, to form a sheet receiving frame structure.

The segments 26 are curved at 26b on the end opposite 26a, and the segments 27 are turned at 27b, as seen best in FIG. 1. Likewise, the segments 28 and 29 are separated and turned at 28b and 29b respectively. The turned ends are spaced and aligned as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to provide an opening 30 for the removal of any jammed sheets within the frame.

Removal of any inadvertently jammed sheet is accomplished by contacting the sheets, as by pressing the operator's fingers through the upper frame member in the region of the aligned opening 30, and thus pushing a loop of the sheet down through the opening 30 where it may be grasped by the operator and pulled free of the frame.

The side rails 14 and 16 are each provided with a plurality of leaf springs 34 secured thereto by rivets 36. The springs project inwardly within the confines of the frame. The shape of the leaf springs 34 and the position of the outer guide bars 20 and 26 are such'that the leaf springs will extend up to and just touch and bear against the edges of the guide bars 20 and 26.

The width between the inner edges of the leaf springs on the opposite sides (designated W] in FIG. 3) is selected so that it is just slightly less than the width of the master which is to be aligned and centered and the width W2 between the side rails 14 and 16 is greater than the width of the master to be centered. Also, the force of each of the leaf springs 34 is so selected that the leaf spring can be deformed by the pressure of the supported master bearing against it, but if the master is free and unimpeded, the leaf spring can move the master by virtue of the spring action thereof.

As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the entire support frame is of a generally curved configuration and is adapted to receive a sheet from a roll set designated generally as 42 and guide the sheet on a curved path so that the leading edge thereof will be fed into a second roll set designated generally as 44. In the copy duplicator machine, the roll set 42 delivers an exposed, developed and converted lithographic master from the conversion section into the aligning device which directs the master to the roll set 44 and associated structure, which set in turn feeds the front edge of the master into the printing head of the duplicator section of the machine.

In operation, a converted master (which is-rectangular in shape) is fed from the roll set 42 into the interior of the support structure, and it is fed therethrough until the leading edge of the master strikes a stop finger 46 associated with the roll set 44. The stop finger 46 is so positioned that it will abut the leading edge of the master just before the trailing edge thereof emerges from the bite of the rolls 42. Thus just after having encountered the stop finger 46, further rotation of the roll set 42 will discharge the trailing edge of the converted master so that it is free of the bite thereof. As can be seen, the rolls of the set 44 are separated so that the set does not drivingly engage the master, and hence the master is free of driving engagement from both roll sets.

While the master is being fed through the frame and still engaged with the roll set 42, it may be somewhat misaligned so that it will bear more heavily against either the leaf springs on the side rail 14 or leaf springs on the side rail 16. While the master is still engaged by the bite of the roll set 42, the leaf springs will not have any effect to twist the master since it is firmly held by the roll set 42, and hence the pressure of the side of the master on the leaf springs 34 will cause them to yield.

However, once the master has become free of the bite of the roll set 42, the master itself is free to be moved by the force of the springs 34. The force exerted by these springs will tend to equalize itself and in so doing, the equalization of this force will twist the master to such a position that it is in alignment along the center line between the springs and also centered between the springs 34. When this aligning and centering action has taken place, the roll set 44 can then be closed to drivingly engage the master and the finger 46 lowered concomitantly to deliver the converted master to the printing head (not shown) in an aligned and centered position so that the printing can be effected in proper alignment and position on the paper.

In order to minimize jamming or malfunctioning of the device by virtue of the master becoming caught therein, the leaf springs 34 are made to have a substantially greater height than the thickness of the opening between outer guide bars and 26. This will reduce any tendency of the master to become jammed or caught between the spring 34 and the frame members.

While the device has been illustrated and described in its preferred form, there are numerous modifications of the device which can be made and still be within the scope of the invention. For example, the device is shown with springs on both sides for the alignment and centering function. It is possible, however, to construct the device with springs on only one side thereof which will, in some cases, serve adequately for an alignment function and which will guide on the edge instead of centering. However, with this type of arrangement, there is not as much freedom from damaging or marring the edge of the sheet, since one edge will be bearing against a non-yielda ble surface, Therefore, the preferred embodiment provides biasing means at both edges, although biasing means at one edge could prove satisfactory in some instances.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for aligning a sheet into a predetermined alignment position comprising:

frame means having a width greater than the width of the sheet disposed to receive and retain said sheet in position to permit angular and lateral movement thereof;

said frame means comprising a lower frame member and an upper frame member for confining a sheet of paper to a space between said upper and lower frame members. said lower frame member having a plurality of longitudinally extending stationary guide bars defining a sheet support skid;

means to project a sheet into said frame means between said upper and lower frame members in said longitudinal direction of the guide bars;

biasing means yieldable to the pressure of the sheet carried by said frame means and disposed along at least one lateral edge of the sheet for engagement therewith;

means for withdrawing a sheet from said frame means; and

means for operating said means for withdrawing a sheet only after a sheet projected into said frame means has become free of said means to project a sheet.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said biasing means includes a plurality of leaf springs.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 further characterized by biasing means disposed on both lateral sides of said sheet.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame means defines a curved path of travel for said sheet.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame is of open bar construction.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said lower frame member guide bars are discontinuous to develop a lateral slot opening, whereby a sheet in said frame means may be contacted through the upper frame member and pushed out said slot. 

1. A device for aligning a sheet into a predetermined alignment position comprising: frame means having a width greater than the width of the sheet disposed to receive and retain said sheet in position to permit angular and lateral movement thereof; said frame means comprising a lower frame member and an upper frame member for confining a sheet of paper to a space between said upper and lower frame members, said lower frame member having a plurality of longitudinally extending stationary guide bars defining a sheet support skid; means to project a sheet into said frame means between said upper and lower frame members in said longitudinal direction of the guide bars; biasing means yieldable to the pressure of the sheet carried by said frame means and disposed along at least one lateral edge of the sheet for engagement therewith; means for withdrawing a sheet from said frame means; and means for operating said means for withdrawing a sheet only after a sheet projected into said frame means has become free of said means to project a sheet.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said biasing means includes a plurality of leaf springs.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 further characterized by biasing means disposed on both lateral sides of said sheet.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame means defines a curved path of travel for said sheet.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame is of open bar construction.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said lower frame member guide bars are discontinuous to develop a lateral slot opening, wherebY a sheet in said frame means may be contacted through the upper frame member and pushed out said slot. 